Improvement in explosive shells



J. GROVES,

Shell.

Patented May. 17, 1864.

N.PETERS, PHOTO LITHOGRA TATES ATENT Orrrca.

JOHN GROVES, OF BROOKLYN, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, lV.

BEESTON, AND THOS. BOTTOMLEY, OF SAME PLI XCE.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXPLOSIVE SHELLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 12,8H8, dated Mayl7,1864.

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JOHN GRovEs, of the city of Brooklyn, in the countyof Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Explosive Projectiles; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure l is an inside view of the projectile asexposed to view by the removal of one half of the outer shell. Fig. 2 isa central section of the same in a plane perpendicular to Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in bothfigures.

This invention relates to the placing within the shell of an explosiveprojectile of several smaller explosive shells, the fuses of which areignited by a fire from the bursting-charge of the larger or outer shell,so that the smaller shells are caused to explode at a suitable timeafter the larger or outer one.

It consists in the attachment of the smaller explosive shells to thelarger or outer one by means of chains for the purpose of compellingthem to fly with the fragments of the larger or outer one when thelatter is burst by the ex plosion of its charge. In order to make theouter shell burst in such a manner as to leave each of the smallershells attached to a sepa rate fragment of it, its interior is grooved,

and thereby weakened in lines between thepoints of attachment of thesmaller ones.

This invention also consists in the attachment of the smaller shells tothe larger one, until the time of the bursting of the latter, by meansof screws and a frangible frame, whereby the adjustment of the smallershells to balance the larger one before and during its flight ispermitted. 1

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is the larger or outer shell, made of a spherical form in two halves,which are screwed together, as shown at ca inFig. 1, or secured togetherin any other suitable manner. In one half of this shell there is placeda castiron frame, 0, which is secured therein by screws 1) b, and whichcontains a number of tapped holes, corresponding with the number ofsmaller shells, B B, which are to be inclosed within the larger one. Thesmaller shells are like ordinary bomb-shells, except that each is madewith or has firmly secured to it a screwed pin, 0, which is screwed intoone of the afore said tapped holes in the frame 0. Each of the smallershells is also attached to that half of the larger one which containsthe frame 0 by means of a separate short chain, (1. Between the pointsof attachment of the chains (Z (Z the said half of the larger shell hasits interior so grooved, as shown at c c, and thereby weakened, thatwhen its bursting-charge explodes it will break in the said each of thesmaller shells attached by its chain (1 to a separate fragment of thelarger shell. The other half of thelarger shell is also grooved in asubstantially similar manner, as shown at ff, to insure its breakageinto a number of pieces. The shells B B are charged in the same manneras any of the explosive projectiles heretofore known or used, and fittedwith time-fuses g g in the usual manner, and, when charged, their pins 0c are screwed into the tapped holes in the frame 0, to bring the saidshells into such positions that the larger shell will benearlyequallybalanced 011 all sides. The balancing is effected by screwing thepins far ther in or out, as may be necessary, after putting the twoparts of the larger shell together and trying whether the weight isproperly distributed on all sides. After the larger sh ell has beenbalanced in this way, the chains (Z (l are secured to it and to thesmaller shells, and the two parts of the larger shell are put togetherand the said shells charged with gunpowder, and fitted with a time orpercussion fuse in the usual manner. lVhen the charge of the largershell explodes, the said shell breaks in the grooves e e f f and in thejoint a, and the frame 0, being light and of cast-iron, is also broken,leaving the shells B B attached to fragments of the larger shell, bywhich means the said shells are caused to seatter better than they wouldif detached from the larger shell. The fuses g g are ignited by the firefrom the explosion of the charge of A, and after the proper interval theshells B B are burst.

Zhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The attachment of the inner shells, B B,

grooves, and so leave to the outer one, A, by means of chains (1 d, I onthe smaller shells with the frangible frame substantiahy as and for thepurpose herein O, securedwithin thelargershell,substantially specified;I as and'for the purpose herein specified.

JOHN GROVES.

, 2. The arrangement of the grooves e e, 111

combination with the connections of the chains (1 d, with the outershell, A, substantially as I \Vitnesses:

and for the purpose herein specified. I M. M. Lrvrxos'rox,

3. The combination of the screwed pins 0 c l G110. XV. linen.

